


On Steel Wings and Spiderwebs

by Kimako



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: First Time, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Office Worker Erwin Smith, Piercings, Sexual Tension, Smut, Tattoo Artist Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Tattoos, discussion of past mental illness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:48:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25886092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kimako/pseuds/Kimako
Summary: Erwin Smith, a clean-cut office worker, decides to get a tattoo. Things get interesting when he meets his tattoo artist.
Relationships: Levi & Erwin Smith, Levi/Erwin Smith
Comments: 30
Kudos: 205





	On Steel Wings and Spiderwebs

**Author's Note:**

  * For [levismoon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/levismoon/gifts).



> For @levismoon because you are amazing! This idea really spoke to me so I had to write it! Special thanks to @punschkrapfen on twitter for bringing up the idea of putting this into words!  
>  Shoutout to @indieneko8 for helping me in the research process and for beta reading! I appreciate you and everything you do!
> 
> This one-shot was based on artworks by @levismoon on twitter!
>
>> "The tattoo can wait I guess" <https://t.co/fdt06nuX2l> [pic.twitter.com/h3s1TDhxfZ](https://t.co/h3s1TDhxfZ)
>> 
>> — They were roommates (@levismoon) [August 1, 2020](https://twitter.com/levismoon/status/1289581508538167297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
> 
> Warning: Sexual content, discussion of past mental illness, needles (for tattooing purposes only) 

Curves and crosshatches. Ivory and ebony strokes on sepia skin. Unparalleled precision. A pale hand brushes back dreadlocks and a lioness adorns the base of a woman’s neck. The brave she-lion poses despite the raised redness of her crisp lines, a tribute to the fusion of woman and work of art. 

_ Double-tap. _

A dove perches on magnolias and embellishes an expanse of peach-colored thigh. Its short, round beak pecks at pollen scattering across the design in swoops of vivid color. He could stare at those watercolor feathers all day.

_ Double-tap.  _

“Erwin.”

He shoves his phone into his pocket. “Hmm?”

Mike fidgets with his collar and Erwin glimpses at the immaculate tribal-style tattoo at the base of his neck. “This is your stop.”

“You’re not coming along?”

“This is between you and the artist. I don’t want to interfere.”

“Is there anything else I need to know?”

“Yeah. The train won’t stop forever and Levi hates when his clients are late.”

“Right. Thanks again, Mike.”

“Hope it goes well. See you at the gym.”

Erwin’s hasty feet clack against tile, then stairs, then concrete. He checks his watch, still five minutes early to his appointment. His pace quickens.

The Underground Tattoo Parlor doesn’t look like much from the outside. Graying brick and cracked pavement lead to the plain black door. Even so, the gaping windows are spotless. The door jingles as Erwin opens it. Inside, triplet leather chairs mark the waiting room, juxtaposed by a tidy front desk. A mahogany coffee table spans the center of the sitting area, boasting assorted magazines for guests.

It’s Friday evening and only two other customers are in the shop, their voices drifting from the other room. Erwin has the waiting area all to himself and he can’t help studying the burgundy wall that separates the lounge from the place where magic happens. 

Designs hang from the plaster. He recognizes the lioness and the dove with the magnolias and his heart leaps in his chest. He spends a small eternity salivating over his artist’s portfolio. No other artist’s work speaks to him like this. Everything the man designs is a damn  _ masterpiece _ .

A glimpse of a slender hand from the other room and Erwin can hardly suppress his grin. He forces his stare back to the art wall, but when one customer leaves, the chime of bells above the door snaps Erwin from his perusal.

And then there are inky undercut locks, an upturned nose, and piercings. So many piercings. His lip ring and snake bite studs catch the light as he reads from a tablet. The front desk, which is waist-height for Erwin, reaches his chest. Their eyes meet and Erwin’s breath freezes in his throat.

“Consultation appointment for Erwin Smith?”

“That’s me.”

The man gestures for Erwin to follow through the doors behind the front desk. And of course, Erwin straightens out his tan suit jacket and follows close behind. The petite man moves like a lithe dragon through the deep red room, slinking past the inky, leather couch. As he leads Erwin to a dentist chair tucked behind a patterned silk curtain, he is silent.

Another tattoo artist finishes a tattoo sleeve, her messy russet hair in twin buns. The light skin of her thigh sports a familiar pattern of birds and flowers. Levi’s work. But her eyes narrow in concentration, so Erwin doesn’t interrupt.

The chair is plush but his muscles tense. As Levi closes the curtain, Erwin swallows the lump in his throat. Silver rings wind around his ears and his sharp pewter irises match them.

“So you want wings,” he says.

“Don’t we all?”

Levi shrugs. “Not everyone has the guts to fly.” 

“I consider myself a gutsy person.”

One corner of his mouth curls and he offers his hand. “Levi Ackerman. Nice to meet you.”

“The pleasure is mine.” Their handshake lasts a moment past professional and for a second Erwin dreams Levi’s needles can sprout feathers on his back. “I saw your work on Instagram and I couldn’t resist.”

“Have you ever gotten a tattoo before?”

“No.”

“Well, I’m excited to be your first. How long have you been sitting on this idea?”

“A few months.”

“Good. I don’t work on a whim.” Levi springs from his chair and reaches for his tablet. A thorny tattoo spirals across his pearly shoulder and peeps from beneath his shirt. “Do you have a style in mind?”

Erwin’s Adam’s apple bobs. “Realism, watercolor, and illustrative are my favorites. What about you?”

“It’s your tattoo.” Levi arches an eyebrow. “But since you asked, I enjoy doing detail work, so I like the same. I also love traditional Japanese tattoos.”

“They’re beautiful.”

“You’d look good with one, but the tattoo has to fit the aesthetic you want.” Levi twirls the tablet pencil between his fingers and Erwin’s lungs tighten at how casual it is. “If you have to force it, it’s probably shit.”

Erwin snorts and damn, it’s not attractive. Yet he can’t miss the subtle smile on Levi’s face. 

“Is there something you’ve seen another artist do that you like?”

“Nope. I want you.” 

It only takes a second for him to realize how that sounds. Levi glances up from his screen and Erwin’s gaze tumbles to the tile floor. Normal people talk to their tattoo artists like that, right?

“Alright.” Levi swipes through his reference images. He points to the airborne swan on the screen. “Did you take this?”

“Yeah. Photography is a hobby of mine.”

“Damn, your shots look professional. They didn’t teach me that at Sina.”

“You went to Sina Academy for the Arts? Isn’t that the best art school in the country?”

“Yeah,” Levi says, shoulders drooping. “Let me guess. Why the fuck would I end up here?”

“No, that’s not what I was going to ask at all.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“I think it’s wonderful. You opened a business and you’re doing what you love for a living. Treasure that.” Erwin snatches his phone from his pocket, determined to reassure Levi. The lion and the dove await in his gallery. He angles the screen at him. “I can’t stop looking at these. Whenever I’m having a bad day, they make it bearable.”

Appreciation flashes in Levi’s pewter eyes. “I’m glad you like my work. The dove with the magnolias was for my coworker, Isabel.”

“I’m jealous she gets to wear your art before I do.”

“Is that so? You don’t come off as the jealous type.”

“I hide it well.”

Levi laughs through his nose. “You don’t have to be jealous of her, Erwin.”

The thought of laying on his stomach as Levi etches lines into his back makes his blood quicken. He reminds himself of the needles, of the sensation he’ll have to endure, of his status as a customer, but it does nothing to dampen his interest. As they discuss rates and touch-ups and logistics, Levi sketches. Erwin lingers over the tiny metal spirals of his earrings.

When Levi turns the tablet around, Erwin leans forward. It’s rugged and elegant at the same time. In all of their messy glory, a pair of wings spread wide, the primary feathers piercing outward. And Erwin knows he has the guts to fly on wings like those.

“It’s gorgeous.” Their gazes intersect and Erwin has to glance away to keep himself from grinning like an idiot. “You’re very skilled.”

“Thank you. Anything you want to change?”

Adjustments, yes. He should focus on what he came for, not those shoulders, that face, those thighs. “If it’s not too much trouble.”

“Sketches are made to be improved,” Levi says. “What did you have in mind?”

“I want the feathers to look like blades.”

“Okay.” Levi jots a note next to one wing.

“And maybe add something in the middle.” Erwin pauses, studying the design. “What do you think?”

Levi hums and thoughts grow like kudzu between them. “Swords. Maybe a few roses and birds if that fits the meaning of your tattoo.”

“Swords?”

“You’re the one that mentioned blades.”

“Yeah.” An earthquake of a grin splits his face. “That’s perfect.” 

“Great.” Levi tucks the tablet under his arm. “Take off your shirt.”

“What?”

Just when he thinks he has himself under control, one corner of Levi’s mouth tugs up. “I need to see the canvas I’ll be working with.”

He blinks once, twice. The suit jacket slides off and he doesn’t even have to think about it. His sweaty fingers make quick work of his black button-down. Levi’s a professional. That has to be why he's so comfortable undressing. When the chill of the room caresses his skin, his nipples go firm and he hopes Levi doesn’t notice. 

“Stand up for me, Erwin.” 

Levi beckons for him to stand with his back to a mirror. He pulls a tape measure from his pocket and Erwin’s eyes drop to the curve of his ass.  _ No _ , not there. Anywhere but there. He can’t disrespect Levi like that. He’s doing a  _ job _ , for heaven’s sake.

“Where do you want the tips of the wings to end?”

Erwin’s fingertips point to the edges of his shoulders. The soft tape measure is cold on his skin, but Levi’s fingers aren’t. Erwin’s nerves spark to life. Levi traces a finger from shoulder to shoulder before abandoning his skin to record the measurement. The interest in Levi’s voice makes his chest fuzzy and he twists his neck to watch him work. 

That smooth voice asks him about sizes and shapes and colors. Levi’s fingertips patter against the tablet as they talk and the conversation flows between them like blood through young veins. In an instant, Levi stands behind him again.

“Do you want swords hanging down?” Erwin’s mouth goes dry when Levi’s reflection ogles him. “I think that would add a lot to the design, especially with your musculature.”

“Is that so?”

“It is.”

“Two swords, then. One on each side of my spine hanging from a spider web.”

“I can do that for you, big guy.”

Erwin’s tongue darts out to lick his bottom lip. He desperately wants to ask what  _ else _ Levi could do for him. But he freezes. Is Levi just going along to make him comfortable? How did this even start? Erwin bites back a curse.

Two fingertips trickle from mid to lower back. “Is this okay?”

“That feels right.”

His smile is catlike as his touch vanishes. “Glad to hear it.” 

After Levi snaps a picture, he returns to his seat and Erwin’s muscles tighten at the lack of contact. Erwin returns to his own plush chair. He has to salvage some degree of professionalism. For Levi’s sake. 

“What’s your favorite part of working here?”

“Designing. I adore creative liberty, so I could never get tired of this job.” Amusement dances across Levi’s features. “You know you can put your shirt back on.”

“Apologies.” 

“Why on earth would you be sorry?”

Levi ducks outside the curtain without another word, leaving Erwin to stare at his butt as he saunters away. With a huff, he whips his head in the other direction. The silky barrier swishes into place and Erwin’s palm presses into his forehead. What is he doing? 

Head spinning, he takes a moment to steady himself. His sweaty fingers scramble to finish his jet black buttons. When he emerges, jacket in hand, he offers Levi a sheepish smile. Heartbeats later, they’re at the front desk. Erwin props his elbow on the countertop and their fingers brush as he passes Levi the down payment and a handsome tip. 

“Thanks for the tip.” Levi stashes the money. “You skipped a button, by the way.”

“Damn it.” The draft in the room spills through the gap in his shirt as he looks down at his misaligned buttons.

Levi shakes his head. “And here I was, about to say you’re the most put-together guy I’ve seen here.”

He fixes his buttons with hasty fingers. “The thought still crossed your mind.”

Levi laughs and guilt floods Erwin’s chest. He’s paid to be nice. That’s all this is. That smile can’t be anything more than courtesy, a stroke to Erwin’s ego. He’s ashamed he let it work, let it get to his head. Every bone in him wants to scuttle away like a creature drawn to hide in darkness, an eight-legged wreck with nasty little jaws that have no place near Levi. The appointment is over as quickly as it began.

* * *

Levi’s final design is breathtaking. The first time it graces Erwin’s inbox, tears sting and he has to take a break from work. Sure, he probably drove Levi crazy with his nitpicking over the design, but every adjustment adds another layer of perfection to the piece. 

He leaves his desk in a hurry, attracting the eyes of his colleagues as he scuttles off. All he can do is lock himself in a bathroom stall and grin like a misty-eyed idiot. And stare. Damn, does he stare. When Mike checks on him, he gushes about the design. In the subway, Mike suffers through an even more thorough unpacking of Erwin’s excitement. By the time his appointment rolls around, he’s bursting at the seams.

Erwin tracks the white noise of the waiting room. A clock ticks. Somebody yawns. Was that Levi? He fidgets with his pockets and checks his phone twice. Like beef stew in a pressure cooker, his blood simmers. 

A head of jet black hair manifests in the studio doorway and Erwin’s heart soars at the sight. He swallows and forces himself to relax. He’s a client, not a date. He’s business.

“You ready for me, Erwin?”

He stands and straightens his shirt. “Yeah.” 

“You don’t have to use the bathroom or anything, do you? Speak now or forever hold your piss.”

Erwin laughs. “I’m good.”

Levi leads him past the drawing rooms and into a deeper part of the studio. There’s a secluded room with an indigo bench and a sink. The velvet is cool and soothing. He asks Erwin if he’s hydrated, if he got enough sleep, if he has any known allergies to the ink ingredients. As Erwin settles, he fetches a supply tray and washes his hands. 

“Curtain open or closed?”

“Whatever you’re comfortable with.”

“I’m comfortable either way.” Levi’s sight settles on Erwin and he slinks a little closer. “You’re the client. Your comfort is my priority.”

Hearing the words from Levi’s mouth sends him soaring and plummeting. Erwin’s stomach drops and he fights the sizzling urge to meet Levi’s gaze. He knows if he looks, he won’t be able to resist. He shouldn’t be doing this, letting himself get so involved. 

A hand finds his shoulder and his world adopts the same metallic shimmer as Levi’s eyes, but his stomach churns. His exoskeleton can only endure so much. He doesn’t hesitate any longer.

“Closed.” A grin trespasses onto his lips.

Levi draws the fabric across the doorway with a hint of a smile on his face. All of a sudden he’s shirtless again. The air is stifling and the burning in his gut makes his head spin. Levi presses a damp cloth into his skin as his gloved hands check for cuts. A newly opened disposable razor glides across his back in languid strokes. Hair stands on end. His heart thunders in his ribcage and his palms are sweaty. 

“You’re so tense.” Levi’s fingers ghost across his shoulders and he swallows a gasp. “Have things been difficult at work lately?”

“You could say that. It’s the end of the quarter, so I’ve got a deadline.”

“Poor thing.” He kneads the junction of neck and shoulder. “Where’s work?”

“Survey Incorporated. I’m a financial manager.”

“Impressive.” 

Warmth seeps through Levi’s gloves. His hands trail down Erwin's back as he works vaseline into his skin. The contact is smooth and Erwin closes his eyes. Firm, artful fingertips set his body alight and he leans into the touch. Erwin shudders when he leaves the room, the petroleum jelly cooling his skin. Were those caresses far enough away from utilitarian to count as affection?

Levi returns with an inked design on heat transfer paper. The wings spread before him, ready to take flight. Finally,  _ finally,  _ he is Levi's canvas. Anticipation becomes the wind on his wildfire of enthusiasm. His pupils hold the intensity of twin night skies.

One last time, Levi offers to make an adjustment and he declines. He needs Levi’s hands on him. To apply the ink, of course. The transfer paper slips onto his skin with Levi's careful aid. When it peels off, Levi guides him to a full-body mirror and sets his hand on Erwin’s bicep.

“Any last words?"

Their sights intersect and an unfiltered part of Erwin wants to kiss him. “Thank you."

“You look amazing. I can't wait to get started."

Erwin returns to the bench and his heart singes. He's never been so alive. Every nerve in his body is singing and his spine tingles with the symphony of his excitement. Levi explains all of the machines and their purposes before he gets to work. He's shaking. When Levi touches his back, everything goes still.

"I'm starting now. Take a deep breath."

All Erwin can do is nod. The needles sting. It's not overbearing, but it's distracting. A constant buzz of pain, but it's oddly euphoric, a happy little carpet burn. Levi leans closer, his breath tickling Erwin’s spine. 

Finally, he is Levi’s work of art. He gets to wear his craft and there’s nothing he wants more. The needles dig deeper. A red-hot line crosses over Erwin’s shoulder blade. Levi’s hand is on his shoulder, firm but comforting. Erwin twists to peer at him. 

“Does it hurt too much? I can stop whenever you want me to.”

“No, don’t stop.”

“Relax, then. You’re doing fine.” Levi’s gloved hand rubs over the angles of his back muscles.

Erwin follows Levi’s instruction, but his heart sinks a little when the glove abandons his skin. Levi warns him before fiery tickling resumes. Delicious hours pass. They talk about everything from politics to weather to the daily ins and outs of their lives. Erwin savors it like tiramisu. 

Stinging, steady touches send Erwin’s blood south. Something about the little man making him burn, etching his masterpiece into Erwin’s flesh, makes Erwin’s insides coil with delight. A flamenco guitarist in the corner of his mind plays along to their little game and Erwin decides he’s quite fed up with himself. 

Even so, he wishes Levi would straddle his hips. His briefs are tight on his arousal and his hips shift to fix it, but the change in pressure only makes him twitch. 

“Let’s take a break before I wrap you up, yeah?”

“Need to stretch?”

Levi’s arms are already above his head and a sliver of skin peeks out from beneath his raised shirt. “Definitely.”

As Levi rushes off to the bathroom, Erwin sits up. He glances down and his lips go firm at the obvious tent in his pants. No relief comes when he adjusts himself. He tries everything from thinking of dead puppies to mental math with hardly any result. He knows it’s a lost cause when he fantasizes about Levi whispering the quadratic formula in his ear.

“Everything okay?”

Erwin flinches and crosses his legs. “Yeah.”

“If you say so.” 

Levi maintains eye contact as he reaches into a basket for sterile bandages. After Levi covers his work and reviews care instructions, Erwin fixes his buttons. He pays minutes later. The top two buttons of his shirt remain open and gunmetal eyes focus on his collarbones before darting up to his face. 

“I’ll see you next week at the same time, pretty boy.”

“Pretty boy?” Erwin cocks his head. Maybe he isn’t imagining things, after all. “I’m not as straight-laced as I appear.”

“Right.” Levi nudges his arm. “You show up in a tattoo shop and suddenly that makes you a bad boy?”

“I never claimed to be a bad boy, but I do hope you’ll let me take you to dinner.”

“No can do.”

Erwin’s shoulders shrink and a landslide of guilt topples onto him. He knew from the start, so why is he surprised? If a sinkhole opens up beneath him, he’ll gladly fall. Why does Levi make his lungs tremble?

“I’m sorry for misreading you. I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable.”

“What?” Lines materialize between Levi’s eyebrows. “No, I meant not today. I have a consultation in five minutes and my evening is booked with clients. You didn’t misread a damn thing.”

Like a hot air balloon after a new burst of flame, hope swells in his chest. “After our next session, then? My treat.”

“It’s a date.”

* * *

He expects it to happen, but when Levi finally asks the question, it catches him off guard. At the beginning of a meeting or during the initial design are more plausible options, but no. Levi asks him in the middle of their session, when banter is flowing and the air between them is thick.

“What do they mean?”

“Huh?”

“The tattoos,” Levi says. “You don’t have to say if you don’t want to, but I was curious.”

Erwin focuses on the persistent hum of the apparatus. “Life is a constant battle for improvement. The wings are a simultaneous reminder to work hard and to let myself have freedom.”

“Sounds like they have a damn good story behind them.”

“It’s not the happiest one.”

“Sorry. I won’t pry.”

“No, I don’t mind. If you’re comfortable listening, I’ll share. If not, that’s fine too.” 

“I’d love to hear.”

He blinks a few times as the words form, perhaps a little slower than usual. Levi scoots into his field of vision once Erwin invites him to continue working. Levi listens better than the trees, better than nature itself. That’s why Erwin trusts him. So, despite his sweaty palms, the nervous jitter in his lungs, Erwin lets his walls crumble.

“A few years ago, I got so depressed I could hardly get out of bed.” He centers himself with a shallow breath. “I buried myself in work to fill the void because I thought I could force myself out of it with productivity. Needless to say, I reached a breaking point.”

Levi’s lips tighten and understanding washes across his features. It’s the kind of look someone gives if they've felt similar pain. Erwin’s heart aches.

“I got a better job and I’m much healthier now, thanks to my friends and my therapist. Whenever they noticed I was slipping, they’d help me out. My best friend, Mike, took me camping a lot because being in nature helped.”

“I’m glad you’re better. Mike sounds like a reliable friend.”

“He’s precious. Actually, he recommended you.”

“Is that so?” He tilts his head. “Tall guy. Scruffy with a tribal tattoo?”

“That’s him.”

“Small world, huh?” Levi pauses and tranquility blankets them. 

Erwin’s chest goes fuzzy and he relaxes into the bench. “One morning, when we were watching swans and talking, he gave me a camera. He told me to take pictures of beautiful things so I could fall in love with the world again.”

“What were the first things you photographed?”

“Swans and spiderwebs.”

Levi’s face goes soft. “Is that why you wanted the swords to hang from spiderwebs?”

Erwin nods.

“That’s… beautiful. Thank you for letting me commemorate your victory.” 

Levi trails a gloved hand down the uninked parts of Erwin’s back. The touch is light, tender. It sends lightning down his spine and his toes curl in his loafers. His fingers stiffen. The urge to kiss him wrestles from the corner of his mind to the center, but Levi’s still working and he doesn’t want to stop him. 

Silence falls around them like fresh snow, save for the idle hum of the tattoo machine. He lays there, neck twisted as he watches Levi. The line between thin eyebrows tells a tale of focus, precision, and something a little deeper. A sigh breaks the dusting of quiet.

“After my mom passed, I had to move in with my uncle. He wasn’t cut out to be a parent. Every milestone turned into a shit show because of his bitching and he lost it when I went off to art school.”

“I’m sorry you had to endure that.”

“Just like you, I’m stronger because of it.” Levi studies the floor. “Art was always an escape, even though I didn’t get much support at first. I guess I’m saying we all need little passions to help us appreciate life.”

“Please, let me take pictures of you sometime.”

The tattoo machine dies with a whirr. A hand on his arm hoists him up to straddle the bench. Molten silver eyes and parted lips, Levi’s in front of him in a blink. His composure crumbles at the battering ram of his surprise. Levi’s body heat makes Erwin shudder. He smells of sandalwood and lavender and metal. 

When Levi stares at him from beneath thick, dark eyelashes, Erwin knows he’s caught in his own web. Steamy breath caresses Erwin’s face as he leans closer. 

“The tattoo can wait, I guess,” Erwin whispers. 

Their lips collide and the remnants of Erwin’s web of professionalism billow away. Levi is silk in the sun. With smooth movements, he kisses back. Levi’s lip piercings are cool and Erwin smiles at the sensation. His neurons serenade the velvet fingertips on his bare chest. 

Knees fold over his thighs and he tousles inky locks. Their lips smack together and Erwin's skin tingles. The inky smolder of his back is nothing in comparison to the hungry singe of Levi's mouth on his. Their tongues meet and he hums. It's everything he wants and more. 

And then he feels it, a smooth, metallic bead on Levi’s tongue. How had he not noticed it before? The little room fills with gasps as Erwin traces over it. He dives in for another kiss, this one deeper than the last. Levi’s thumbs tickle his collarbones as their tongues dance. A veiled moan bleeds into the air.

“Levi, where did you put the new ink?”

They fissure from each other and Erwin straightens his blond locks. His heart pounds. His head whips to the doorway but the curtain remains closed. Levi mouths an apology, but all Erwin can do is stare at the curtain in horror. It’s closed, thank goodness, but the shadow of sneakers is dangerously close.

“Isabel, I already told you. It’s on the bottom shelf in the storage room.”

“Wasn’t it supposed to be on the top shelf?”

“I reorganized,” Levi grumbles. “Stop interrupting. I’m with a client.”

Reluctant footsteps clack away and Erwin lets out a sigh. Jittering turns into want. He aches to ravish Levi, but the moment is gone. 

Levi sanitizes the machine again. “I guess I should get back to work.”

“Right. Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. We can continue later. Preferably somewhere more private.”

* * *

“All done. Take a peek before I wrap it.”

The wings overlap in the center of his back, reaching toward his shoulder blades with glistening steel feathers. Each one is pointed and glistening with all the refined beauty of a swan. Two swords hang on spider threads from the base of each wing, a perfect parallel with his spine. 

On nostalgic wings, he is transported. He’s camping, back to the lapping waves and rustling greenery, back to a time and place where it’s just him and Mike, the swans, and his camera. To forget the misty air and dainty breeze, that unmatched web of tranquility, would be to slander the joy of photography. And that same euphoria lights his chest on fire. 

His grin is a crevasse and his vision blurs with tears. When he can breathe again, he wraps Levi in a tight embrace. Levi goes tense at first but soon buries his head in Erwin’s chest. Erwin thanks him again and again. When they separate, Levi wraps the tattoo with ginger touches and reviews the aftercare instructions.

“Still up for that date?”

“Of course.”

Erwin pays at the front desk and offers a generous tip before Levi rushes to gather his things. He drives to a swanky restaurant and confirms his reservation. A waitress seats them on the balcony beneath an elaborate web of fairy lights. They drink red wine and watch the cityscape as they wait for food to arrive. 

Of course, there’s a basket of breadsticks in the center of the table and Levi takes one. Erwin can’t help watching him eat. He makes everything elegant and Erwin can only stare in awe. The meal is one of the best Erwin’s had in a long time. He hasn’t been on many dates before, but this is the best he’s ever had. 

The sun dips beneath the horizon and the waitress passes them dessert menus. When she leaves, Levi shoots him a devilish look.

“I’d love dessert,” Erwin says. “Wouldn’t you?”

“I would.” Levi’s knee brushes his beneath the table. “It’s always my favorite part.”

“Cheesecake is the way to my heart.”

“Cheesecake it is, then. Maybe after that, we could take this somewhere else for a  _ real _ dessert.”

“Definitely.”

* * *

The drive to Erwin’s apartment is agonizing. Levi’s hand on his thigh makes him want to pull over and kiss in the backseat. They rush through the lobby and into the elevator. Erwin wants to pin him against the light brown wall and taste him, right then and there. Insides bubbling and heart galloping, he can barely stand it. 

Levi’s breath reaches his shoulder, his chest, and Erwin just knows he’s going to make a move. It’s like something Erwin would expect from the Hallmark channel, not real life, but the anticipation in his veins screams with reality. 

Before the doors close, a middle-aged lady with narrow eyes, tan skin, and black hair shuffles in, her grocery bag rustling against her hip. Levi studies her and pulls away from Erwin as they exchange pleasantries. When the elevator jolts to a stop, she exits first. Thankfully, she turns left and Erwin’s apartment is to the right. 

Keys fumble as he unlocks the ivory door. As soon as it closes behind them, he pins Levi to it with one arm. Levi beckons him closer with a lick of his lips and Erwin devours him. Attached at the lips, they kick off their shoes. The cream shag carpet caresses Erwin’s feet but pales in comparison to Levi. 

With the front of Erwin’s shirt in his grasp, Levi pulls him down. Teeth graze over his earlobe. Erwin’s cock begs for attention as he struggles to maintain his composure. He reminds himself of his forest green walls, his light granite countertops, his coral sofa. It’s surreal. Levi’s here. In his apartment. Kissing him.

A muscled leg wraps around his waist. Blood rushes south. Erwin’s trousers are too tight and they’re rubbing against his sensitive arousal. He grunts and groans as their hips and tongues generate savory friction. Their lips part, but Levi’s nose tickles Erwin’s.

“Should we continue in the bedroom?” 

Yes. Hell yes. He wants to scream it from the rooftops. Instead, he hoists Levi’s other leg around his waist and carries him through the cozy living room. Levi’s lips land on his neck for the first time and his breath catches in his throat. His thighs hit the edge of his king-sized bed and they topple onto the swan-white comforter. 

It’s something out of a movie. Levi floating in a sea of sheets, the bedside lamp casting a peachy glow onto the sandy walls, desire so palpable he drowns in it. He’s grounded by Levi’s hands on his shoulders, in his hair, teasing his belt.

Little fingers make quick work of Erwin’s shirt. Inky locks tease his skin as Levi nips at his collarbone. A stoke cascades down Erwin’s chest and pauses to trace his happy trail. Erwin has never been more alive. He’s never been more petrified. A downpour of realization crashes into him and he presses his palm to Levi’s chest. 

“Wait.”

Coal-black hair stops tickling his neck and lips abandon his collarbone. The hand that’s so dangerously close to his package vanishes. It’s a quick departure, one that leaves him shivering. His skin chills from the lingering wetness of Levi’s passion. 

“Is everything okay?”

When the words find him, his voice is soft. “I don’t think I’m capable of giving you the experience you want tonight.”

Levi strokes his hair. “It’s okay if it’s been a while. No need to be nervous, babe.”

“What if it hasn’t been at all?”

“Huh?”

“I’ve never had sex before. This is the farthest I’ve been.”

Levi’s eyes go owlish and his jaw hits the floor. “Seriously?”

“I’m sorry. We can stop if you want to.”

“No, I’m just surprised. You were so confident.” Levi’s brow crinkles. “I’ve done a shitty job making this special for you and I intend to turn that around. Don’t you dare apologize for your lack of experience.”

“You mean it?”

“Of course, baby.”

Levi’s silver gaze melts before he kisses Erwin on the lips. It’s chaste save for the arousal twisting in Erwin’s belly. Everything is slow, deliberate. He’s not sure he can stand it. He’s so hard it aches.

“You deserve the very best.” Levi pets the intersection of jaw and neck. “I’m going to spoil you rotten.”

“Then I intend to do the same for you.”

Levi grins. “And they say chivalry is dead.”

His pierced tongue climbs the column of Erwin’s neck, drawing a grunt from him. He seizes the shell of Erwin’s ear between his teeth and hums. When Levi licks on his earlobe and palms his erection, Erwin’s chest goes tight. His breath hitches and for a moment he thinks he’ll come in his pants like a teenager. 

“You like that?” The gentle pressure accents the cadence of his voice.

“Yeah,” Erwin pants. “Don’t stop.”

Levi nips at his jaw. “You’re so pretty. I want to kiss you all over.”

"The feeling is mutual."

Erwin’s mouth meets Levi’s again. Levi’s piercing tickles the underside of Erwin’s tongue in a toe-curling waltz. Levi pulls him to sit at the edge of the mattress and he’s amazed that such a small man can be so powerful. The thought makes him squirm. A new pressure meets his arousal as Levi straddles his hips and sucks a fat, purple hickey into his neck. 

Levi’s mouth trails from collarbone to nipple and Erwin groans when Levi kisses the raised pink bud. His hands are careful to avoid the gauze over his fresh tattoo. Soon Levi is lapping and biting and Erwin clenches his jaw to keep quiet.

“I want to hear you,” Levi whispers. “Don’t hold back.”

Levi’s tongue piercing presses against Erwin’s nipple and he pants. He does it again and Erwin grabs a fistful of dark hair. Down, down, down. His mouth and hands work over Erwin’s chest, abs, and hips. Levi plays with the button of his slacks before fondling him. His hand is small, but it holds him with an equal measure of care and desire. Little squeezes send shockwaves through him. 

“You’re hard for me already? Thanks, baby.”

“Have you seen yourself? How could I not be?”

A warm kiss over the bulge of his erection, then a steaming tongue. His belt is gone. His pants are across the room. There’s a damp spot on the front of his boxers and it’s not sure if it’s from Levi’s mouth or the tip of his length. Levi kisses it again with no hesitation. The waistband of his underwear snaps against his side and he meets Levi’s stare. 

“You’re wearing too much,” Erwin protests, palming himself.

Levi grasps his wrist and kisses the inside of it. “I’m focusing on you first. Still feeling good?”

“That’s the understatement of the century.”

A chuckle. A hot, wet stripe down his inner thigh. A salacious kiss Erwin  _ knows _ will leave a mark. Levi kneels in front of him. He can’t look away. Levi rips off his underwear and his cock hits his stomach with an obscene slap. He’s reddish-purple and throbbing and  _ so damn hard _ . His balls ache. Levi fondles them and Erwin writhes.

Levi pulls a condom from his pocket and rolls it onto Erwin’s length. His fists close around the sheets as Levi kisses the head of his cock, his tongue darting out to caress him with metal studs and rings. Erwin’s pretty sure he just gushed pre-come.

“Look at you. You’re fucking gorgeous. I thought you’d be big, but you just keep exceeding my expectations.”

“You’re going to make me come if you keep that up.”

“Good.”

He swallows Erwin to the hilt. Erwin twists and yelps at the dripping suction. His cock bumps against the back of Levi’s throat and a lip ring teases the vein on the underside of his shaft. Erwin’s moans consist of broken thoughts and mindless gibberish.

When Levi smiles around his dick, his belly tightens. He’s so damn close. One more suck. One more lick. One more  _ second _ . But Levi pulls away before Erwin can reach orgasm. He’s in tears, toes crimping and jaw clenching. 

Levi suckles Erwin’s tip. His fingertip ghosts from perineum to frenulum and Erwin shivers at the sensation. All of a sudden, he’s buried again and Levi’s throat works around him. The air fills with wet slurps and Erwin’s grunts and groans. Sheets bunch in Erwin’s fists as Levi bobs his head. 

“Levi!”

He hums around Erwin’s cock and looks up at him. The eye contact almost sends him over the edge. Levi doesn’t stop.

“Oh, goddamn!” 

Erwin shivers and his heartbeat echoes between his quivering legs. He spills into the condom and his breath snags as each spurt of spunk leaves him. Ocean irises close their blinds. Levi works him through his climax. He grips his pillow and surrenders himself to the inescapable wave of pleasure that wrecks his body. 

When he comes down from his orgasm, Levi fills his mind. He's precious for giving him such an intense feeling of release, for being so attentive. Levi's fingers tease at his own buttons, but Erwin can't help his bliss. 

“Damn, that was amazing.”

“I'm just getting started,” Levi says. “Go wipe off.”

When he returns, Levi's top two buttons are undone. He kisses him and thanks him and opens his buttons like he's unwrapping the greatest gift in the world. The sight he finds makes the wonders of the world disappear. It’s only him and Levi.

Tattoos cover Levi’s chest. Flowers, birds, vines. Vipers wrap around his rose-speckled collarbones. Thorny spirals cover his back and dragon weaves through the brambles. A tiny trio of wyverns soars north from his hip bone. A woman’s portrait lays over his heart. 

“So beautiful.” He drags a hand down his chest before marveling at the tattoo of the lady. “Would you tell me about these?”

Levi gestures to Erwin’s hand. “That’s my mom.”

“She’s lovely. I know she’d be so proud of you.”

Levi’s cheeks redden. “The plants represent growth. They remind me how far I’ve come.”

Erwin drags the pad of his thumb across a vine. “I love them,” he whispers onto heated skin. Three flying forms above Levi’s hip earn kisses of their own. “And these?”

“The wyverns symbolize me and my two best friends.”

“Beautiful.” His pointer finger trails from flank to spine and he traces a ring of thorns, a spiraling tail, and jagged wings. “What about this one?”

“I fucking love dragons.”

Erwin chuckles and pecks him. His eyes fall to Levi’s pierced nipples and he salivates at Levi’s full-body blush. Interest sparks in his gut and he knows he’s getting hard again. His mouth works over Levi's body. His collarbones, neck, and stomach all receive sopping kisses and love bites. He ravishes every work of art on Levi’s skin.

The nipple rings get extra attention. Erwin busies himself by sucking on them just like Levi did to him. He shivers. It makes Erwin’s chest swell with pride. His fingers tease at the button of Levi’s slacks. It's like he's on autopilot. He explores Levi's torso as he slips off his pants and underwear. 

When Levi is naked beneath him, his heart stops. A silver ring emerges from the slit of his attentive cock and buries itself at the base of the head. Erwin ravishes it, examining it between his fingertips, stroking, licking, kissing.  Levi fists his hair and doubt strikes him. His sweat-beaded brow furrows. He can’t compare to Levi. Will he be able to return the favor? He pulls away.

“Are you uncomfortable? I can take the piercing out if…”

He shakes his head. “You’re stunning. I just want to make sure you feel amazing.”

“I already feel amazing.”

Their noses touch. All Erwin can think about is Levi's body beneath him, surrounding him. He plants kisses all over his skin, up his leg and down his back when he turns him over. He's not sure what position he wants him in but he does know he wants to love every inch. 

“Put your fingers inside me,” Levi whispers into the darkness as he presses his chest to the mattress and arches his back.

He circles a finger around Levi's puckered hole, tickling the skin and absorbing his warmth. His chest flutters with hesitation.

“That feels good. Keep going, Erwin.”

Levi is tight and Erwin’s blunt finger struggles to enter. With a few encouraging words from Levi, his first finger prods inside. He's unsure what to do but when he curls a digit, Levi’s breath hitches and it becomes clear as a cloudless night. He keeps his other fingers out to play with Levi’s flesh while he strokes Levi’s erection with his other hand. 

Twists and thrusts join his lovemaking repertoire. The ring of muscle enveloping his finger relaxes more with every stroke. He swirls his digits and a wet squelch is his reply. He pushes deeper.

“Another finger. Please, Erwin.”

Soon he’s fucking Levi with three fingers as Levi strokes him. He finds the sensitive bulb of Levi’s prostate again and again. His wrist cramps, but that doesn’t stop him. Levi cries out. His thighs quiver and his grip is a vice on Erwin’s shoulders. 

“Did I prep you enough?”

“Uh-huh,” Levi stutters. 

“Are you sure?”

“Fuck, yes.”

A jolt of fire boils through Erwin’s groin. He’s hard enough to penetrate, his cock fat and heavy and blushing once again. A fresh condom slips on effortlessly and he coats his dick with lube from his nightstand. 

“Can I give you the tip now?”

“I was hoping for a little more than just the tip, Erwin.”

Erwin smirks. “Cash or credit?”

“Cock. The whole damn thing.”

His face turns crimson, but he laughs wholeheartedly.

“Put a pillow under my ass. You’ll thank me later.”

Erwin obeys. Despite his inexperience, he breaches Levi with the slow, deliberate patience of a veteran lover. Levi splits open like a sky, blushing twilight on each side. With the spirit of an eagle, the drum in Erwin’s ribcage hovers.

Levi is warm and tight around him. His passage quivers and the sensation makes Erwin’s eyes screw shut. He’s panting by the time he bottoms out. Gravity pulls his balls to Levi’s cheeks and the silken brushing makes them tighten. Levi buries his nose in his chest. Legs wrap around his waist. Sandalwood and salt fill Erwin’s nose. He licks a stripe up Levi’s chest and the tang of salt sends a jolt of arousal through him.

“You okay, Levi?”

“Fucking amazing,” he stutters. “You can move now.”

Erwin tugs out. The sheets shift under his knees as all but the tip of his length slides out of Levi. It’s slow and the lube coating him cools when air hits. He sinks in again and Levi’s nails sting his hips. He does this a few times but stops when the sensation overwhelms him. 

“Take your time, baby. You’re doing great.”

Erwin presses inside again as he leans in to kiss him. Their lips smack and Erwin finds a rhythm. He slides in and out, in and out, his pace less like fucking and more like making love. He’s not sure if Levi wants it this slow, but he knows he’ll blow his load if he goes any faster. He wants this to last. He needs to last. 

“You feel breathtaking,” he whispers into Levi’s neck. 

“You too.”

When he can handle it, he speeds up. It’s not perfect; he has to pause a few times and squeeze the base of his erection to stop himself from coming, but Levi’s mouth on him makes it damn close. Levi’s brow furrows and he cants his hips to meet Erwin. 

“Is the rhythm bad?”

“No, I think it’s the angle.”

Erwin lowers his hips closer to the sheets to thrust deeper. His hips meet Levi’s cheeks and the slapping of their skin reverberates through Erwin’s bedroom. Their hands clasp together.

“Better?”

Levi bites his lip and nods. “See? You’re a natural. So attentive.”

Erwin can’t help his smile. He strokes Levi as he thrusts, earning moans each time he hits Levi’s prostate. Levi grows louder and louder. His breathing is ragged and his hands grip Erwin’s biceps for dear life. Erwin is Levi’s clay, ready to be molded and worked and twisted. And he loves every part of that.

A wave of heat pulses through him and every cell of his being  _ wants _ for Levi. He’s aware of it now, how truly alive he is, how complete he is when he’s loving. He’s frantic, so close to the edge, pounding into him. 

Sweat burns beneath his bandages, but he doesn’t care. Levi slaps the mattress with the back of his hand as if tapping out, begging for release. He’s sprinting uphill, but he keeps pumping. His balls tingle. His cock won’t stop throbbing. He’s on the verge of explosion, ready to wage war on gravity and overthrow time.

Levi spills all over Erwin’s stomach, his spunk hot and sticky. Erwin glances down at the pearly fluid and thrusts once more before he comes with a yelp. Working through his orgasm, he pumps into Levi again and again. It’s longer than any he’s had from pleasuring himself and  _ oh _ so strong. 

His head is a void. His legs are numb. His face is dripping and it takes a moment for him to register the tears mixing with his sweat. Clinging to Levi is all he can do, rendered dead to anyone else, anything else. There’s only him and Levi. And what was once sepia is now vivid technicolor. Is this the perfection everyone talks about, the bliss? 

When he stops releasing, Levi’s mouthing at his collarbone and his heart flutters. He withdraws from that sweet, clenching warmth and discards his condom. From there, it’s a loving embrace and basking in the residual glow of their coupling. 

“Didn’t expect you to be a crier, big guy.” Levi’s chest is heaving and his voice is thin.

Finally, Erwin’s words find him, albeit languid from his post-orgasmic haze. “I’m utterly perplexed by your propensity to make me feel.” 

“I had fun, too.” He wipes a tear from Erwin’s cheek and molds their lips together. “You adorable sap.”

“Thank you. For everything.”

Levi nibbles his ear and his fingertips brush Erwin’s wrappings. “Thanks for letting me be your first.”

Levi guides him out of bed and they caress each other in front of the bathroom mirror. It has been long enough, so Levi gingerly separates the bandages from Erwin’s inked back. He presses a kiss between his shoulder blades and spreads lotion across the fresh scabs. Erwin twists, but Levi stops him. 

“Don’t. I’ll take care of you.”

His heart flutters. “Would you stay the night?”

“It'd be a shame to leave now.”

Erwin grins as Levi’s finger traces over the spider’s wire next to his spine. “Up for another round when you’re done?”

“Always. And after that, you can get your camera.”

**Author's Note:**

> Believe it or not, this was my first time writing smut! Feel free to tell me what you think! I need all the feedback I can get haha


End file.
